What is coralline

Often, hobbyists pay a premium price for rock that is already well-covered in corallines. However, these beautiful algae can disappear rather quickly if water conditions are poor. So, what constitutes poor water quality for a coralline alga? Just about all the same things that are bad for coral. Even high nutrients. So, why would an alga not like high nutrients?

Old, spent water is bad news for coralline as well. This water tends to be depleted in all the things these algae need most: Calcium, carbonates and trace elements. Crappy water also typically has a low pH value, which inhibits calcification.

This is why those who frequently perform large water changes are so often rewarded with prolific coralline growth. In order to best promote coralline algae, one must meticulously maintain water parameters as follows:. Of course, being algae, corallines additionally require light to survive. Many of the Corallinaceae are adapted to low-light areas such as deeper, sublittoral bottoms or shady areas beneath benthic invertebrates such as corals.

This is less a chromatic i. Thus, they may be found anywhere from the intertidal zone to 1, feet depth. In reef aquaria, moderately bright to very bright light on a naturalistic photoperiod is recommended for best coralline growth.

Aquarists with acrylic tanks might be wondering: Why would I want to have coralline algae? Will I end up scratching my tank trying to keep it off of the panels? Those of the third class are the low coralline islands, usually having lagoons of water in their midst.

Thus are commenced those coralline islets of which you have seen so many in these seas. New Word List Word List. Save This Word! We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms. So you want to take your saltwater aquarium to the next level? In fact, the additional of snails can boost reef tank fauna. Pillar 1 - Lighting Fundamentals. The root of healthy growth comes down to lighting.

Pillar 2 - Stable Tank Parameters. Aquatic life, including coralline algae, thrive when water parameters remain relatively stable at all times. This typically requires regular water testing and more frequent, smaller water changes. Prevent shocking your tank by avoiding large water changes.

As a general rule of thumb, aim for the following water chemistry parameters:. Pillar 3 - Growth Supplements. Even when tank parameters are ideal, sometimes a boost is necessary to kickstart algae development. After experimenting with quite a few coralline growth supplements, all were pretty much useless except for an ingenious product my fellow hobbyists suggests - PurpleUp.

After using PurpleUp , I was thoroughly convinced. In short, PurpleUp is a growth accelerator. It works by injecting nutrients directly to coralline without promoting nuisance algae growth. I'm sure you'll get success anyway. Please share in comments if you had good experience with other products in this category!

In my opinion, some of the most breathtaking saltwater tanks are bursting with natural color. The look of natural live rocks! You may think this algae only produces a pinkish hue. In fact, coralline algae comes in a variety of colors, such as white, purple and green. Its vibrant coloration comes from specialized pigments known as phycobiliproteins. Along with the aforementioned colors, you can find species with lavender, magenta, violet, yellow and even orange coloration.

You thought its ability to sustain coral reefs was interesting? Just wait till you read some of these lesser-known facts:. Aquarium reefs are notoriously easy to accidentally shift. Coralline algae cements reefs and rocks together. Prevents and Combats Nuisance Algae. In my experience, maintaining healthy coralline algae growth significantly reduces undesirable algae, such as green algae, mat algae, diatoms and hair algae.

As it grows and encrusts the surface of reefs and rocks, it covers areas where undesirable algae likes to grow. In-Tank Chemical Defense System. Think again! A vast majority of coralline species release various chemicals that literally fight off other forms of algae. Talk about beneficial! Expanding Knowledge and Reef Tanks Beauty - Subscribe to our newsletter to access amazing giveaways, exclusive insider offers and regular updates!

I know, this was a lot of information to digest.